The final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for the Bel-Red Corridor Project was published on July 19. This document is an analysis of the preliminary preferred alternative and a comparison of its environmental impacts to the impacts of four land use and transportation alternatives (three “action alternatives” and one “no-action alternative”) studied in the draft EIS.

The preliminary preferred alternative calls for development over the next 25 years that would include up to 4.5 million square feet of additional commercial development and 5,000 new housing units – similar to Alternative 3 in the DEIS.

The Bel-Red Corridor Steering Committee is expected to make a final recommendation to the Bellevue City Council in September. City boards and commissions will then likely be tasked with crafting new Comprehensive Plan policies and Land use Code regulations that would implement the final preferred alternative.

New development would be clustered in four nodes centered around potential future light rail stations (these would be located at the west end of the corridor close to downtown, within the center of the corridor, and in Redmond). In addition to light rail, the FEIS identifies new roads, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes that would need be constructed within the Bel-Red Corridor to support the development.

The final environmental impact statement can be viewed from the city website.